demokratiska

Demokratiska is a Swedish adjective meaning democratic, used to describe things related to democracy or to democratic principles. It commonly modifies nouns in contexts such as politics, law, education, and civic life, and can appear in phrases like demokratiska värderingar (democratic values) or demokratiska institutioner (democratic institutions).

Etymology and history: The word originates from the concept of democracy, itself derived from the Greek demos (the people) and kratos (rule). Through Latin and other European languages, the term entered Swedish as part of modern political vocabulary, expanding with the growth of liberal and parliamentary ideas in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Inflection and usage: In Swedish, adjectives agree with the noun they modify in number and definiteness. Demokratisk is the base form used for singular indefinite nouns (ett demokratiskt samhälle). Demokratiska is the form used for plural nouns and, in many contexts, as the definite singular form (den demokratiska boken) as well as the plural definite form (de demokratiska böckerna). Examples include demokratiska reformer, demokratiska val, and de demokratiska partierna.

Context and nuance: Demokratiska is used across political discussion, academia, and journalism to denote adherence to or characteristics of democracy, such as fair elections, the protection of civil liberties, and participatory governance. It can describe processes (demokratiska val), systems (demokratiska styrelseskick), or ideals (demokratiska rättigheter).

See also: demokrati, demokratisk, demokratisering.